Environmental Groups Urge Democrats to Reject Fossil Fuel Immunity Amidst Scrutiny of Funding and Affiliations
A coalition of nearly 200 environmental advocacy groups has penned a letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, urging them to resist any legislative efforts that would shield fossil fuel companies from legal accountability for their role in the climate crisis. The letter arrives amidst growing scrutiny of the groups’ funding sources and alleged ties to organizations with anti-Israel agendas, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and prominent billionaire donors.
The environmental groups assert that fossil fuel companies should bear the financial responsibility for the environmental damage they have allegedly caused, arguing that working families should not shoulder the burden of pollution’s consequences. They advocate for holding the industry accountable through legal and legislative means.
However, the timing of the letter has sparked controversy, as critics are pointing to the affiliations of some of the signatories. One notable example is the Westchester Peoples Action Coalition (WESPAC), a fiscal sponsor of Students for Justice Palestine, a pro-Palestine organization that has been actively involved in organizing anti-Israel demonstrations since the October 7 terrorist attack. Financial links between WESPAC and liberal mega-donor George Soros have also drawn attention. WESPAC has a history of anti-Israel rhetoric, accusing the Israeli government of "apartheid," "ethnic cleansing," "collective punishment," and "war crimes," according to NGO Monitor.
Another signatory is the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), a prominent environmental organization. Republican members of Congress have alleged that the NRDC has close ties to the CCP. They point to the fact that NRDC’s president and CEO, Manish Bapna, serves as a council member of the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development, a platform for policy development and cooperation between Chinese and international researchers. Senators Ted Cruz and Representative James Comer sent a letter to the Attorney General in 2023 requesting an investigation into the NRDC, claiming the group acts as a mouthpiece for Chinese propaganda and appears to either take direction from the CCP or self-censor to maintain a positive relationship with the Communist regime.
NRDC spokesman Bob Deans defended the letter’s message, stating that it affirms the principle of "the polluter pays for the harm they cause." He asserted that the fossil fuel industry should be held accountable for the damages caused by its pollution, like any other industry. He stated that NRDC is an independent non-profit that relies on it’s US based senior leadership and board of independent trustees.
Other groups signing the letter include Extinction Rebellion and the Center for Climate Integrity (CCI), which have also faced scrutiny. CCI advocates for holding "climate polluters" financially responsible for the climate damage they have allegedly caused. The group received over $1 million from the Rockefeller Family Fund in 2018 and has expressed support for congressional investigations into the oil and gas industry’s alleged climate deception. The Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, co-founded by European billionaire Christopher Hohn, donated $7 million to CCI between January 2018 and September 2020 to support climate litigation efforts. Extinction Rebellion has been involved in disruptive protests, including blocking airstrips, obstructing traffic, and interfering with the U.S. Open tennis tournament in 2023.
Additionally, 350.org, another environmental advocacy group, receives funding from Bloomberg Philanthropies, owned by billionaire Michael Bloomberg. Bloomberg recently became the second-largest individual donor to then-Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign. 350.org is also funded by the Tides Foundation, which fiscally sponsors pro-Palestine groups, such as the Adalah Justice Project. The Tides Foundation has reportedly given millions to liberal organizations that have organized pro-Palestinian protests.
A Tides Foundation spokesperson acknowledged the letter to Schumer and Jeffries, stating that their community of fiscally sponsored projects, donors, and grantees hold diverse perspectives on protecting the planet. The spokesperson emphasized that Tides values diverse approaches to advancing equity, condemns hate speech, violence, antisemitism, and Islamophobia, and has never received funds to support student protests on college campuses.
Fox News Digital reached out to the offices of Senators Schumer and Representative Jeffries for comment, but they have not yet responded.
This controversy highlights the complexities surrounding environmental advocacy and the increasing scrutiny of funding sources and affiliations within the environmental movement. The pressure on Democratic leaders to resist fossil fuel immunity comes at a time when these groups are under intense scrutiny.
The issue of fossil fuel liability is likely to remain a contentious topic, with environmental groups, industry representatives, and lawmakers all vying to shape the narrative and influence policy decisions. The role of funding and affiliations in shaping the environmental agenda will undoubtedly continue to be a subject of debate and investigation.
